Block pavement for highways



. OTTO BLOCK PAVEMENT FOR HIGHWAYS APPLICATION FILED JAN Patented. Oct. 17, T1922.

INVENTOR. Charles P. @ya

Patented @et l?, i922,

NETE@ STATES CHARLES D. OTTO, OF RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK.

BLOCK PAVEMENT FOR HIGHWAYS.

Application filed January 28, 1921. Serial No. 440,586.

To all w z 0 mt may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES D. Otr'ro, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Richmond I-Iill, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Block Pavements for Highways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pavements, having reference particularly to block pavements for highways of the type requiring a smooth surface and adapted for sustaining constant, high speed and heavy vehicular traffic, as general automobile traffic.

In pavements of this character, on grades or on sharp curves, the traffic causes an appreciable push on the pavement surface which shifts the blocks from their original vclosely adjacent set relation and produces open joints at intervals, thus roughening the road surface and subjecting the shifted blocks at their upper edges to undue exposure and deterioration by abrasion incident to traffic.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of means whereby this liability of block shifting and spreading of joints is obviated. Further objects being to provide a smooth, uniform highway of durableconstruction which wears evenly, endures for a maximum period of time and is maintained in smooth condition throughout its life.

In the attainment of these and other objects, I employ block sections constituting respectively an assemblage of blocks of sub stantially equal depth which are laid over the surface of a cushion of wet mortar and coupled at their adjacent ,edge parts by rows of blocks of a different depth, whereby shoulders are formed in the mortar for locking the blocks against slidable displacement after the mortar is set, said bed being spread over a suitable foundation, as hereinafter fully described. and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 a plan view of a section of highway ing one embodiment of my improvements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a slight modification.

Inthe construction of my improved highway as shown in the drawings, I employ primarily a solid foundation l, which is composed of any adaptable material, such as concrete or old macadam, which is thoroughly compacted and provided with a smooth upper surface. Upon this prepared foundation there is spread a bed of wet mortar Q, constituting suitable components, as one part Portland cement to three parts of sand mixed with sufficient water to permit the cement to set. The mortar bed is carefully evened out and smoothed by any suitable means, care being taken to maintain an even depth and perfectly smooth surface. T hen, before said mortar bed sets, block sections 3, comprising respectively an assemblage of interlocked, closely oined rectilinear blocks 4, are laid over the mortar bed surface. These sections generally measure from ten to fifteen feet on the road length, depending upon the grade, or they may be of any adaptable dimension, and they are coupled by means of lateral rows of closely joined rectilinear blocks 5, of relatively deep proportion which are partly imbedded into the mortar bed, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. chors for preventing shifting of the units of the block sections lengthwise on the mortar bed, thus, when said bed is set, the blocks 5 become practically an integral part of the mortar and constitute shoulders which are maintained in such fixed relation as to obviate all liability of shifting of the units of the block sections 3 and the formation of lateral cracks across the highway.

I preferably employ in the construction of my improved highway highly compressed asphalt blocks, thus providing a somewhat pliant but perfectly smooth road surface, but I do no-t confine myself tothe use of any specific block, as I may successfully employ blocks of any adaptable material.

After being laid, the blocks are given a light coat of sharp, worked into the joints; and the highway is closed for a sufficient length of time to permit the mortar bed to thoroughly set and harden.

On sharp curves and laterally banked parts of highways, instead of extending the anchor-rows laterally across the highway, they may be extended parallel with the highway sides, or the blocks may be set in staggered relation and extended obliquely without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. It is manifest that by emscreened sand which is These rows constitute anployment of my improved anchor-means I provide a highway of such novel construction as to obviate all liability of having any of its block units shifted by surface push of traffic or by gravity of the blocks themselves on very steep grades.

Further, I employ blocks of standard size and, when the block sections 3 are made up of blocks of maximum depth, in. the construction of highways for very heavy traffic,

the anchor means may constitute blocks 5t4 of lesser depth than the block units 4f of said sections, part of the mortar bed extending between the adjacent edges of said sections a-nd in bearing engagement with the lower surfaces of the anchor blocks, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, making shoulders for preventing shifting of the units of said block sections. Other variations of arrangement of the elements of my invention maybe employed. I therefore,

do not confine myself to the specific embodi and other parts thereof partly embedded therein.

2. A highway construction including a foundation, a bed on said foundation, and a plurality of abutting block-sections of one depth superposed over said bed and a` plurality o-f abutting block-sections of another depth partly embedded therein.

3. A highway construction including a solid foundation, a bed on said foundation, and aplurality of Sections constituting respectively a plurality of closely assembled blocks of substantially equal depth arranged in interlocled relation and laid over said bed, and a plurality of rows of blocks cfa different depth than the rst named blocks,

said last named blocks coupling said sections` and` anchoring them to said bed, the upper faces of all of said blocks being in register,

whereby a smooth road surface is provided.

4. A highway construction including a solid foundation, a bed on said foundation, and a plurality of sections constituting respectively a plurality of closely assembled relatively shallow blocks of substantially equal depth laid over saidcushion, and a plurality of rows of relativelyy deep blocks of vsubstantially equal depth coupling said sections and partly imbedded in saidbed the upper surfaces of all of saidblooks being in register whereby a smooth roadsur face is provided.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this 13th day of January A. D. 1921.

CHARLES D. OTTO. 

